Amazon Alexa can now send SMS messages

Amazon has added a nifty new feature to Alexa voice assistant, which allows the Echo smart speaker users to send SMS messages. The feature is available only to the US users right now, but I am expecting a broader roll-out in the coming months.

As you can expect, the SMS integration only works for users with Android devices. So, if you have an Echo smart speaker and an Android smartphone, you can ask Alexa for send a SMS message.

How to use the SMS feature with Alexa

Go to Alexa app on your Android phone

Sign up for Alexa calling and messaging

Go to conversations > contacts > my profile

Enable send an SMS and accept the permission prompt trigger by Android

You are good to go, now you can just tell Alexa – Send an SMS to <contact name>

Given that Android phones already include support for sending text messages using your voice via Google Assistant and select other apps, this Alexa feature will only be useful when you don’t have your Android phone in hand, which is not very often.

Sending SMS feature doesn’t work with third-party Alexa devices at this moment, but that could change in the future.

Apart from SMS messages, Amazon already offers free Echo to Echo calls and messages. You can also use Echo with your landline service using this $35 add-on.

The new feature comes less than a fortnight after Amazon added voice commands support to Alexa app on Android. The Alexa originally only worked as a management console for your Alexa-powered devices, but now you can also use it as a voice assistant.